Funded in part by Novo Nordisk, Novo Nordisk Fonden, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Novo Nordisk Foundation
Effect of ultra-processed food consumption on male reproductive and metabolic health
Preston JM, Iversen J, Hufnagel A, Hjort L, Taylor J, Sanchez C, George V, Hansen AN, Ängquist L, Hermann S, Craig JM, Torekov S, Lindh C, Hougaard KS, Nóbrega MA, Simpson SJ, Barrès R
Cell metabolism · 21 citations
Review labels
Neutral facts our review recorded about how this study was done. They describe method, never whether we like the result.
How it was studied
- Design
- Randomized controlled trial (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
- Intake measured by
- Food provided by researchers
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Industry funded
- Government
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche
- University or hospital
- Lunds Universitet
- Company
- Novo Nordisk
- Company
- Novo Nordisk Fonden
- Company
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research
- Company
- Novo Nordisk Foundation
- Government
- French National Research Agency
- Grants
- Novo Nordisk Fonden (NNF 18 CC0034900); Novo Nordisk Fonden (NNF18OC0033754); Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research (NNF 18 CC0034900); Novo Nordisk (NNF18CC0034900); Novo Nordisk Fonden (NNF33754); Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR-11-LABX-0028); Agence Nationale de la Recherche (-15-IDEX-01); Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR‐15‐IDEX‐01)
Based on 7 listed funder(s).
Publication
- Published
- 2025-08-28 · Cell Metab · vol. 37 · issue 10 · pp. 1950–1960.e2
- Publisher
- Cell Press
- Cited
- 38 citations · more than 100% of similar papers · 33.7× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 41 works
- Access
- Open access (hybrid journal) · CC-BY
- Research areas
- Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling · Nutritional Studies and Diet · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
- Keywords
- Consumption (sociology), Food consumption, Biology, Medicine, Physiology, Internal medicine, Endocrinology, Biotechnology
- MeSH
- humans, body weight, cross-over studies, energy metabolism, energy intake, reproduction, adult, male, young adult, fast foods, food, processed
17 authors
From DK, FR, AU, SE, US
- Jessica M. PrestonUniversity of Copenhagen; Novo Nordisk Foundation
- Jo Frøkjær IversenUniversity of Copenhagen; Novo Nordisk Foundation
- Antonia HufnagelUniversity of Copenhagen; Novo Nordisk Foundation
- Line HjortUniversity of Copenhagen; Novo Nordisk Foundation
- Jodie Herk TaylorUniversity of Copenhagen; Novo Nordisk Foundation
- Clara SanchezCentre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Inserm; Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire
Abstract
Consumption of ultra-processed food is associated with increased caloric intake and impaired health. Here, we conducted a nutrition trial (NCT05368194) with controlled, 2 × 2 crossover design and tested whether ultra-processed food impairs reproductive and metabolic fitness, with further aggravation by excess caloric intake. Comparing the response from an unprocessed to ultra-processed diet identified increased body weight and low-density lipoprotein (LDL):high-density lipoprotein (HDL) ratio, independent of caloric load. Several hormones involved in energy metabolism and spermatogenesis were affected, including decreased levels of growth/differentiation factor 15 and follicle-stimulating hormone. Sperm quality trended toward impairment, with a decrease in total motility. Differential accumulation of pollutants between the discordant diets were detected, such as decreased plasma lithium and a trend for increased levels of the phthalate mono(4-methyl-7-carboxyheptyl)phthalate (cxMINP) in serum, following the ultra-processed diet. Alteration in caloric load alone had distinct effects on the measured outcomes. This study provides evidence that consumption of ultra-processed food is detrimental for cardiometabolic and reproductive outcomes, regardless of excessive caloric intake.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY).
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